What kind of fuel barrels in a motorbike?
 

Hi there!
I'm tryin to realise what's the suggested or "safe " amount of gas for a Mauritania mali trip...I guess it depends on the itinerary but my Funduro has a little 17 l tank and Acerbis tanks are no longer available. How much gas would you carry on a drum? what kind of drum? Where do you stick it?
After reading the Sahara overland bike and the Motrobike Adv. handbook I have still doubts? any pics will be wellcome to see your "ideal" extra petrol carring device!

We are facing the route Barcelona-Tombouctou in augsut 2006 (damm hot I know but...i just have this free months! ) any advice ( apart on the imposible "drive light?"
Robert

"on route" or "pist"
 

is the question?

Following the main road, the longest stretch between fuel will be Nouadhibou - Nouakchott 400 - 450 k, another five ltr would carry you home, I believe

Look out for small kids and animales. They dont allways behave the way you believe. Since Mauritania I am a goat killer, and yes, I am sorry:(, but what to do when somthing like that attacks the bike going in 90-100.


Happy trip

Cheers
Haakon

thanks but...piste
 

i guess piste will be the main route to follow...roads can be bad but...pist is more fun
by the way...TKC 110/80 on a Funduro may fit there? I have my questions about the durability of the tyre..my fellow thiks on carring on with the regular Tourance..is it a good idea?

thank's..facing africa in august

Do you mean piste routes the entire way? Without support, on a loaded BMW? In August?

Research the route carefully and come to your own decisions, but on the face of it, it doesn't sound wise.

EDIT: To answer your actual question, in terms of fuel, you will need to carry a 400km range, plus safety reserve, for the run from Atar to Tidjikja. ***Running at +/- 50% soft sand mileage (whatever that is on a F650)***.That would be your longest stretch.

Mauritania and Mali...'safe' gas, piste, tyres......
 

mmmm...Robertson Hi,

I read your question re safe amount of fuel, tyres etc and time of year that you intend attempting this trip with interest and quite a dollop of concern.

if you need to find out more about travelling in this part of the world despite having read Chris's handbook then read here 2ridetheworld.com : diary

these route and the pistes need careful planning. You need to have off-road and sand riding experience. The amount of fuel you will be using will double in the sand. it is corrugated sand piste up to Tumbukto. You will need a tyre like the continental TCK80 ....do not stay with your Tourance. The reliability of these dual tyres is very good - my husband and I have used nothing but Conti's during our 4 year trip. Obviously if you go trashing them with high acceleration on ashpalt roads they will not last!

I note that you say...piste is more fun...mmm..not when you've had 4 days of rutted sand and corrugations hammering your brains out and shaking your bike apart. Always take the better road when available.

I also agree with Richard K that you will need 400km + of fuel plus reserve. How you carry this is up to you - but try to carry the extra weight as low as possible.

one last point - why August? We crossed this area in Dec/Jan and it was killer temps then...you are going at the worst time possible and possibly placing yourself in additional danger. BTW - how much water can you carry? I carried 600 km worth of fuel plus 40 litres of water...can you take a bike this heavy off road in the sand?

please try to research a little more...it never hurts. I do not mean to put you off your intended trip but this area is not to be taken lightly.

regards and take care
Lisa

Thank's to all of you for your advise. Every second i hve free i try to read and get informed. i'm sure that it sound like io find this trip like a party but i don't . I 'm new in the motorbike off road racing so i won't take any risk at all. Reading the forum it's a great time to get informed tough sometines confusing ( to much information..)
I will not try to take a srisky pist without any suppor vehicle, but we don't have one si if we find friendly peple than ok...
why ausust? i't's my holyday month..i can not change it... And i like going there. Niger was hot last year so I ges mauritani will be hotter.
400km sounds goodbut i still don't know the consumtion of funduro in the sand...o gues 15l more 8 aded to 19 liter) will be god
Water: I was thinking in a 10 liter barrel. We can not do long off road stretches..We wont to have fun on our motorbikes not fill them in our ass...
REading Chiors Scot's books is really helpfull but as we all knoww, reading is not riding and teher is when I will learn how to eenjoy in a sandy piste. Pistes may be fun for a while but not 500km of criminal and horrible path....
anyway thank's for the advice and I'll keep reading in the forum..any suggestion will be wellcome...
robert

Ask in the BMW forum - someone will know.

In the meantime, doubling (x2) your best highway consumption should give you a VERY ROUGH idea of your consumption in 100% soft sand with a good reserve.

There is loads of advice about (including this!), but if you can, focus on speaking, in depth, to people who have ridden the same route recently. There aren't many.

Books and forums are great, unfortunately, in a blizzard of semi-related fact and opinion, it's easy to leave feeling informed, but taking the wrong impression.

No reason why you can't get to Timbuctu though - there are easier routes you can take! Best of luck with the research.

40 litres of water?
 

hi, Lisa - how did you carry that much water? do you mean 40 litres of fuel? or were you using the TT tanks for water?
Richard

Email
 

Hia Rich
I've been there twice and could help you- could meet up as I'm not far from the smoke
email me :thumbup1:

but i still don't know the consumtion of funduro in the sand...

You will soon! I had 27 + 5L in Libya one time on a Funduro but ran out after about 450km including some soft sand and blundering around off piste - that's 14 kpl. The F650 was not so good in very soft sand compared to other bikes I've tried. The newer injected ones are much better

Ch

thank's for your advice. I finally bought a pair oc contis on friday...
Finding a 27l tank in spain (or anywhere else in europe) is really difficult: Acerbis just run out of it (they don't do it anymore). So i have to plan a 10 liter plastic gerri+ a 5 liter plastic gerrican ( yeah +10 or 8 liter water). The problems is that it's really unstable.
also, This weekenda and maneged to construct a refrigerator protection using regular iron net) anda install a 12V AC switch for GPS and air pump. I have no clue where to stick it by know...any suggestions will be greatefull wellcome

robert (SPAIN)